Original scientific paper
Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma in Southern Croatia: Impact of Sensitization to Ambrosia elatior
Slavica Cvitanović
Ljubo Znaor
Božica Kanceljak-Macan
Jelena Macan
Ivan Gudelj
Dragica Grbić
Abstract
Aim To identify pollen types in southern Croatia and investigate the impact of sensitization to Ambrosia elatior (A. elatior) on symptoms and treatment of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis and/or asthma.
Methods The study recruited 120 patients from Split-Dalmatian County with seasonal rhinitis and asthma symptoms and positive skin prick test to one or more common inhaled allergens. Patients with positive skin prick test and increased specific IgE to A. elatior (n=56) were included in the follow-up study during the A. elatior pollen season. Rhinitis and asthma symptoms were scored and drug treatment recorded using standardized questionnaires. Also, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and eosinophil count in peripheral blood was measured. Type and pollen concentration of A. elatior in the air over the nine-week pollen season were determined on the glass slides using the gravimetric method. The results were expressed as the proportion of A. elatior pollen in the total pollen.
Results Fifty-six of 120 patients (46.7%) were sensitized to A. elatior. Its pollen proportion in total pollen peaked to 12% in the first week of September. Forty-one patients who completed
Keywords
Ambrosia elatior; airborne pollen; pollen count; seasonal allergic rhinitis; seasonal allergic asthma; skin prick test; specific IgE; pollen allergy
Hrčak ID:
9411
URI
Publication date:
20.2.2007.
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